Thermomotive modulating heat transfer system



May 24, 1949. M. E. FI ENE THERMOMOTIVE MODULATING HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEM Filed May 14. 1947 Inventor;

Marcus E.F" ien 'e, Dece'ased, Clara E. Fiene, Admlnlstfatfbg QW'W 2.1

At-torn ey.

Patented May 24, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT FFICE THERMOMOTIVE MODULATIN G HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEM Marcus E. Fiene, deceased, late of Scotia, N. Y

by Clara E. Fiene, admi signor to General Elec tion of New York nistratrix, Erie, Pa., astric Company, a corpora- Claims. 1

The invention relates to heat transfer systems, particularly vapor heat transfer systems employing a liquid percolator for controlling the rate of heat transfer between the liquid vaporizer and the vapor condenser as described and claimed in the prior Fiene Patent 2,289,879.

The principal object is to provide an improved thermomotive heat exchange control for modulating the output of the liquid percolator so as to correspondingly vary the rate of heat transfer in the vapor heat transfer system.

Another object is to provide a flexible type of percolator that is relatively movable into variable heat exchange relation with a heated body for varying the heat transfer rate of the vapor heat transfer system.

Another object is to provide an improved variable air gap heat exchange control for modulating the percolated output under the control of a continuously heated bellows interconnected with a liquid filled bulb responsive to a predetermined temperature to be controlled by operation of the vapor heat transfer system.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a schematic view partly in section of a vapor heat transfer system provided with the improved thermomotive modulated percolator control of the present invention in a preferred form and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of continuously heated bellows and bulb thermomotive control that may be used to modulate the rate of heat transfer in the vapor heat transfer system of Fig. 1 if desired.

As shown in Fig, 1, the vapor heat transfer system is indicated generally by the reference character It and includes the liquid vaporizer ll surrounded by the heat insulated steam chest 12 continuously supplied with steam from the supply pipe 13 and the interconnected condenser I 4 for dissipating heat from the vapor produced by the vaporizer l I. The condenser I4 is shown provided with a sloping bottom wall I la so as continuously to return the condensate to be revaporized in the vaporizer ll. Thus the rate of heat transfer to the condenser l4 depends upon the amount of liquid circulating between the vaporizer II and the condenser l4. The condenser l4 preferably is provided with suitable fins I 4b for dissipating the heat to the air of a room so that the condenser I 4 may serve as a convector for heating the room indicated schematically by the dotted lines l5.

The amount of liquid circulating in the transfer system It! is controlled by the improved thermomotive modulated percolator control indicated generally by the reference character l8 and including the liquid reservoir l9 having the vapor pressure equalizing conduit 20 connected with the condenser It. When the percolator I8 is inactive all the liquid in the system is collected in the reservoir I9 since no heat transfer between the continuously heated vaporizer ll and condenser I4 is required. The liquid accumulated in reservoir I 9 is introduced as required into the vapor heat transfer system Ill by means of the flexible percolator tube 2| that extends downwardly from the bottom of reservoir [9 into a flexible loop 2la and thence upwardly to connect with the sump 22 formed in the bottom of the condenser l4 adjacent the connection therewith of the vaporizer l I. When all the liquid in the system is collected in the reservoir Hi to the liquid level indicated, then the liquid will rise in the percolator tube to an equal level below the sump 22. Preferably the vapor heat transfer system H! is closed and after being properly evacuated is then filled with a predetermined amount of heat transfer liquid through the sealing valve 23.

The liquid in the percolator tube 2| is heated by means of a normally heated body 25 shown mounted on pipe 26 that is continuously supplied with steam from the supply pipe l3 and provided with the usualair vent valve 21. Preferably the normally heated body 25 is provided with a wedge-shaped extension 25a that cooperates with the complementary depression in the heat conducting element 28 carried by and in intimate heat conducting relation with the flexible percolating tube 2!. Thus the rate of heating of the liquid in the percolator tube 2i may be controlled by varying the air gap 29 between the continuously heated body 25 and the percolator heat conducting element 28. To maintain the air gap 29 free of dust or dirt that might interfere with the accurate positional adjustment between the heated body 25 and the percolator heat conducting element 28, preferably the air gap is surrounded by an enclosing casing 30 sealed to the heated body 25 and provided with a readily flexible diaphragm 3| sealed to the element 28; thus totally sealing the air gap 29.

By means of the improvements of the present invention, the relative movements between the flexible percolator tube 2| and the heated body 25 may be controlled thermostatically to vary the heat output of convector 14 so as to maintain a desired room temperature. For this purpose as shown in Fig. 1 a bellows 33 mounted on support 34 and having a bulb 35 responsive to the room air temperature adjacent the floor operates a. pivoted lever 36 that is connected by the arm 31 to move the flexible percolator tube 2|. A spring 38; serves rtornormallyzbias theileve1w36 so as tofl presszthe pereolatorrheat. transferpelement 28 firmly into good heat conducting relation with the continuously heated body 25. The bellows 33 serves to position the-heat transfereelement 28 away from the continuously heatedloody 25 a variable distance jointly dependent upon the adjustment of the manual adjusting-a screw 39 and the temperature of the'air.

Operation of Fig. 1

With all liquid in the system zaccumulatedin reservoir l9 as shown in Fig. 1 there is noappreciable transfer of heat from the continuously heated vaporizer II and the vapor condenser HA. indicates ;thatithe roomziswttthe desired stemperature. 1U nder ithese conditions :the rperoolatorzheatztransfer elementiiZfiis sufficiently rs'tparatedifromthezheateti;body; :::that:the heat :exchange therebetween; :is below 2 the --,value ulteqquiredltoeeffect xpercolating actionrzofithe '2 liquid zinithemercolatorgtube .2 I. :Imcaserthe roomztem- .perature should rilecrease, :then x:b11lb.:35, will reisponld andibeliows:;33wwill::contract. Thereupon swin ers will operate lever:.-36:1and arm'23l tto emovetthmpercolator: heatz trans'fercelementfl8 into *xsloser; tDrox-imityrwith at'h :heated .zbody'zlfi. As therpercolator .heati transferrbody 128 approaches ztheizzheatedrbody'Qhthecrate :of heat transfer .therebetweenxwill increase :to the :.point wheresa percolating 532Cti011: is astarte'djn athe lliquid Lin Lthe lpercolatorltubefil. :auresultt-rsomeviof ithe sliquid =-iszdischargejd from the atop 50f :the :percodator tube into the sump. :22 :and :is i introduced therefrom rinto'athe vaporizer --l I. ;.The areesuiting waporization :of ithe llioluid .iin :the .naporizer. $1 I rsllpplies vapor ;to the condensed 1by rthexmondenser M- vand :thus :initiates ra: transfer vr-ofsli-ieatiintozther.roonmvithltheirate of heatttransliemadependent pupon r the :amount .lof liquid :introduced into the vaporizer i I by the percolator tube i2 I. il'I'he Manor :cond-eused.ain vaporizer 1M tsoon lroturnstto :the vaporizer I: I :to: be :revaporized alithough; some-ssmall :part pf the. vapor: may conzdense tin zthe tubeuz-t and tthus lreturn. to zthe resmenvoiri rt I :I-Ioweuer; ilu'eito lther. modulated aperioolatmgractionzinxtube 2-! lanysvapor returning :torthexresemooir will? be; madezup by l-the pereolated Jiquid-zsostleatr the heat@releaseffroml-the-eondenser .tlltrwillzaiways rtend .to.-'.-balance the lheating' l'oati vrequinements:of the ro om.

:Inxease. the lroomiheating demand increases, zthen rhulbzsiifi swillxrespon'd andlb'el-lows 3 3 further ccontractsso as-ltolmove the -heattransfer element flfliintoroloser iproximity wi-th the heated body 525. .*A-s ;a result the percolating action in tube 1 IIQWHI7IhGiL1HCI$SEd--SO1aS i to introduce a greater ,amountlhf lliquid iinto the vapor' heat transfer myrtle. a-Asz-arresult the ratetof heat 5 transfer a'from wapnrizer :M to the condenser M -will increase do meet the phelatingzdemand. In this -way the 'inmrovedtthermomotive .peroolator control-of *t-he presentzinvention sen'ables the: modulation of the amount of liquid "active-in the 'rvapor heat transfer :srstem so as :to lhalance lthe heat :output thereof avithithei'heating l'demand.

RWhenmorheatingiis required ,and the -percolator :bzcomes-inactive;then:all thecon'densateiinpondenser HI :rtlrains ithrough :sump m-vand tube fl limorreservoir zm.

Where it is desired to locate the room temperature responsive bulb above the level of the expansible bellows, the modified thermomotive operating structure shown in Fig. 2 may be used.

5 In this modification the bellows 33a is located in z-theirinterior :of the-"annular asteam :chest 42 thatlis continuously supplied with steam from the pipe 26. The percolator tube 2| is provided "with a heat transfer section 28a that is biased 1o rbytthewspringttilinto intimate heat conducting erelation with the normally heated steam chest 42. The bellows 33a is mounted on the plate l-S=-andisgprovided *with a tubular extension 46 connection by the'capillary tube 45 with the liquid '"filled 'roomztemperature responsive bulb 46 that maybe located at any desired height above the vleveleofztherh'ellows 33a. The room temperature responsive bulb 45 is shown provided with an internal volume adjusting bellows 41 operated by the manual adjusting screw 48 against the bias of spring ill i to =var-y* the amount of liquid contained within the "bulb 4 B with a "corresponding variatioirin' the amount 0f 3 liquid =supplied1'due 'to the room temperature to the continuously heated Joel-lows" 33a.

The bellows 33a; upon its resulting expansion, operates through'the push-ro'd -50 to move-the percolator heat 'exchange section" Mm-away from the =continuously heated steam' 'chest" 42 -=against thebias ofspringttwhen theroom-temperature increases. This reduces the rate 'of' heat transfer betweentt'he steamphest 42' and-the percolator tube 2I""with""a corresponding decrease "inthe percolating'action 'of'the' liquid'intube 2 l. Thus 3.? it "will"'be apparent-that the "thermomotive operating mechanism A shown in'Figj2'. may replace that .shownlin' Fig; '1 so as tomodulate'the rate of .heat' transfer .Lbetween the vaporizer I Ill and condenser i4 as ,previously describedibut with the ilofilb .46 located .as vdesired :above Lthe level oflh'ellows-f33a.

What is eclaimedaas new and. desired l to base-- cured lay-Letters Patentof. .the United. States is:

w llllnlcombination a vapor heat-transfer sys- .tem including; arliquid.vaporizerlandravaporcondensenameanswincludingearnormallyzheatedibody randt-a l-liquid gpercolat'or having liquid exchange 'ponnections with; said system' :and Lzhaying ran :element 1 relatively: movable into tvariable: heat 'transferurelation awithesaid zbo'ciy'cfor tvariably heating :saidv lzpercolatorl Hi0. vary :the rz-amount (of diquid :ci-rculating :in'ssaid wheat ztransferrsystem, iandzthermostatic' means rco'ntrolling relative 555 movement between saidzbodyzandrsaideelement.

7.2..1nc0mbinati0n,;a .vapor heat trans'fer sysrtem iincluding =.a liquid waporizer, --a-=vapor condenser, sand 'a =s.ource I of :heat'ior said vaporizer, :means :including :a :body rnormally supplied with CO heat :from said source l and :a l liquid *pereolator rhaving 'iliquidi'exchange lconnections avith said "system and: having an element'relatively movable into 'lvariable heat transfer relation with said bodyzforwariablyheatingssaiti percolator to"vary 5 the :amount :of liquid :oirculatin-g =in said system,

:and thermomotive :means for 'effecting' relative smovementihetween said celement and 'said 'body.

:3. in acombination za wapor -heat transfer sys- -;terminciuding:aliquid vaporizerand a vapor condenser, ta liquid reservoir having 'a percolat'or (flexible tube connection-with said .=sy-stem'to supply liquid: to said vaporizer, 'a'-normally "heated Goody, and -thermostatic mean-s including anfexpansible bellows for moving said percolator'flexi- 76 ble tube in-to "heat "transfer 'relationwith "said body for variably heating said tube to vary the amount of liquid circulating in said system.

4. In combination, a vapor heat transfer sys-- tem including a liquid vaporizer and a vapor condenser, said vaporizer having heat supply means for continuously supplying heat thereto, a liquid reservoir having a flexible percolator tube connected with said system to supply liquid to said vaporizer and a pressure equalizing tube connected with said condenser, a heated body having a connection with said heat supply means for continuously supplying heat to said body, means including a spring for normally biasing said percolator tube into heat transfer relation with said body, and thermomotive means including an expansible bellows for moving said percolator tube away from said body.

5. In combination, a vapor heat transfer system including a liquid vaporizer and a vapor condenser, means including a percolator having liquid exchange connections with said system and a normally heated body relatively movable into variable heat transfer relation with said liquid percolator for heating said percolator to vary the amount of liquid circulating in said system, thermostatic means including a bellows disposed in heat transfer relations with said body for controlling the heat transfer relation between said percolator and said body, and a liquid filled bulb responsive to a predetermined temperature condition connected to supply vaporizable liquid to said bellows.

CLARA E. FIE'NE, Administratria: of the Estate of Marcus E. Fiene,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,739,295 Diebold Dec. 10, 1929 1,849,906 Carson Mar. 15, 1932 2,156,053 Fiene Apr. 25, 1939 2,289,879 Fiene July 14, 1942 

